KR100272770B1 - Optical connector assembly having ultra multi-core - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A multicore optical connector assembly for optical splicing is provided to be capable of accurately splicing a ferrule, of maintain stably the spliced ferrule, and of being manufactured with relative low costs. CONSTITUTION: A housing(10) is opened in one side, and comprises a pair of guide pins(11) formed on opposing surfaces, and fastening holes(13) formed on both ends. A ferrule(20) comprises guide holes(21) for inserting the guide pins(11) and optical fibers(OP) inserted into the micro holes(21) for realizing the optical splicing in its leading ends. A supporting member(30) includes hooks(33) inserted into the fastening holes(13) for covering the open surface of the housing, and comprises through holes(31) for inserting the optical fibers(OP). A spring(40) is inserted into between the supporting member(30) and the ferrule(20) to press the ferrule.

Description

Ultra Multi-core Optical Connector Assembly for Optical Connection

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical connector for optically connecting on an optical communication line, and more particularly, to an optical multi-core optical connector assembly capable of optically connecting more precisely so that optical loss does not occur when optically connecting optical fibers through an optical connector. It is about.

At present, optical communication technology for transmitting information through optical fibers has been developed and used. This optical communication technology is capable of transmitting large-capacity information at high speed, and there is no signal disturbance or crosstalk due to electromagnetic induction, and it is not affected by radio waves and magnetic fields from outside, so the information transmission state is good. It is mainly used for information communication, and in recent years, as the multiplexing technology and the network technology for optical communication have advanced, high-speed broadband multimedia communication including CATV (Cable TV) or VOD (Video On Demand), etc. Its use is gradually expanding as a backbone communication network.

In recent years, the rapid recognition of informatization has required more optical cable lines. Recently developed optical cables have been developed for optical communication networks by producing ribbon-type multi-core optical cables integrating a single optical fiber in a band shape.

Such an optical cable is installed at a distance of several hundred kilometers or more, and thus requires connection and branching of the cable in the middle.

However, it is very difficult to connect the cores of the optical fibers because the optical fiber made of very small diameter (125㎛) is cabled inside the optical cable, and in the case of the multi-core optical cable, when a plurality of optical fibers are connected at once There is even more difficult.

Various methods are used for the connection of optical fibers, and representative examples thereof include a fusion splicing method and a mechanical splicing method. The electronic fusion splicing method is a method of melting and connecting optical fibers and is mainly used for permanent connection.In order to achieve this, expensive precision fusion splicing apparatus must be used and power must be used. There is an advantage of high reliability of optical characteristics.

In addition, the optical connector for mechanical optical connection has various advantages, such as convenience of work and no additional equipment, so that it can be easily connected even without a power supply, and the reliability of optical characteristics is almost the same as that of fusion splicing. .

The invention particularly relates to a connector mechanically implemented in the above optical connection method. The optical connector includes ferrules for connecting the ends of the optical fibers to each other therein. Optical connectors are divided into single core and multi core. In the optical connector, a micro hole into which an optical fiber is inserted is inserted into the hole to polish the cross section of the ferrule. The polished ferrule is to face the exposed surface of the optical fiber to each other to implement the optical connection. In this case, in the related art, when the ferrules are connected to each other, a guide hole is formed on a surface to which the ferrule is connected for precise connection, and an alignment pin is inserted into the guide hole so that both ferrules are connected to each other. However, it is difficult to make a guide hole inside the ferrule in the manufacturing process of the ferrule, and to make a guide pin inserted into the hole, which is expensive and has a problem of extremely low productivity.

Conventional multi-core optical connector has been used an optical connector with an 8-core microhole, but in recent years has been required ultra-concentric optical connector that can optically connect 32 or more optical fibers at the same time. Of course, 32 micro holes are installed in the ferrule of the optical connector in order to simultaneously optically connect 32 core optical fibers. However, when the optical fiber is inserted into the ferrule having 32 micro holes as described above and then polished and connected to each other, the connection state must be extremely precise so that all optical fibers can simultaneously implement optical connection. There is a need for an optical connector that can implement and maintain an optical connection.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an optical multi-core optical connector assembly according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the ultra multi-core optical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of main parts of the ultramulticore optical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

*** Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawing ***

10: housing 11: guide pin

13: Tightening hole 20: Ferrule

21: Guide Hall 23: Mike Hall

30: support member 31: through hole

33: hook 40: spring

OP: Optical Fiber 100: Optical Connector Assembly

The present invention has been devised to implement the ultra multi-fiber optical connection as described above, and the main object of the present invention is to precisely connect the ferrules and to keep the connected ferrule stable so as to implement the ultra multi-fiber optical connection. It is possible to provide an optical connector assembly which can be manufactured relatively inexpensively.

An implementation means for implementing the ultra multi-core optical connector assembly of the present invention

A housing including a pair of guide pins having a predetermined length formed on one side of which opposing surfaces are opened and facing each other, and fastening holes disposed on both ends thereof;

A ferrule having a guide hole inserted into the housing to receive the guide pin, and having optical fibers inserted into the micro holes therein for optical connection at the front end surface;

A support member having a hook fastened to the fastening hole so as to cover the open surface of the housing and having a through hole through which the optical fiber passes;

Interposed between the support member and the ferrule may be achieved by a spring for pressing the ferrule to be in close contact with each other.

According to the implementation means of the present invention, the guide pin and the guide hole can be processed very precisely by being processed or installed in the state exposed to the outside, it is possible to make the connection of each micro hole very precisely. Each ferrule is kept in close contact with each other by a spring in the housing so that the optical connection is maintained.

Hereinafter, the optical connector assembly for the multi-core optical connection according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2, FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an ultra-multi-optic connector assembly according to the present invention, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an exploded optical connector assembly shown in FIG. In the drawings, reference numeral 10 is a housing, 20 is a ferrule having a micro hole disposed therein, 30 is a support member assembled to the housing 10, and 40 is the support so that the ferrules are in close contact with each other. It is a spring interposed between the member and the ferrule.

The housing 10 is made of metal or synthetic resin material, one side of which is open, and the guide pin 11 having a predetermined length is coupled to a surface facing each other that is not open. The end of the guide pin 11 is provided with a fastening hole 13 which communicates with the outside and the inside.

The ferrule 20 is configured to have a width inserted into the housing 10, and a side surface of the ferrule 20 includes a guide hole 21 for slidably accommodating the guide pin 11. The cross section of the guide hole 21 may be changed according to the cross-sectional shape of the guide pin 11. In the drawing, the cross section of the guide pin 11 is shown to be approximately semi-circular, so that the diameter of the guide hole 11 is similar to that of the guide pin 11. It has a semicircular shape. In addition, a plurality of micro holes 21 into which the optical fiber OP is inserted are protruded to a predetermined length inside the ferrule 20, and the tip end of the guide hole 21, that is, the guide pin 11 is inserted. The front end portion is formed so that the end is curved to be inserted smoothly when inserting the ferrule 20 into the housing (10).

The support member 30 is a member that covers the open surface of the housing 10, and has a through hole 31 through which an optical fiber OP inserted into the ferrule 20 passes through a central portion thereof, and is fastened to a side surface thereof. A hook 33 fitted to the hole 13 is included. The hook provides a function of fixing the support member 30 to prevent retraction from the housing 10.

The spring 40 is to impart an elastic force to closely contact the ferrule 20 in the housing 10, and is located between the rear end of the ferrule 20 and the inner surface of the support member 30. . At this time, the rear end of the ferrule 20 is formed stepped so that the spring 40 is not separated between the ferrule 20 and the support member 30, and a stepped jaw is also formed on the inner surface of the support member 30. One end of the 40 is positioned in the jaw of the support member 30, and the other end of the spring 40 is positioned at the stepped portion of the ferrule 20.

When described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the working example and the working effect according to an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above are as follows.

The optical connector assembly 100 configured as described above has the optical fiber OP in the through hole of the support member 30 and the inner diameter of the spring 40 before the optical fiber OP is inserted into the micro hole 23 of the ferrule 20. After passing through the optical fiber is inserted into the micro hole (23). This is because the ultra multi-core optical connector is often not necessary to disassemble once connected, but if the optical connector assembly 100 needs to be disassembled, the through hole of the support member 30 is opened so that one side thereof is opened. The optical fiber OP can be inserted through the open position.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the ferrule 20 including the optical fiber inserted as described above enters the ferrule into the open surface of the housing 10, the end of the guide pin 11 is inserted into the guide hole 21. Let's do it. Therefore, the end of the ferrule is accurately connected to each other by the guide pin 11 and the hole 21 so that the optical fibers inserted into the respective micro holes 23 are optically connected at the same time. Subsequently, when the hook of the supporting member 30 is inserted into the fastening hole 13, the ferrules 20 are brought into close contact with each other by the spring 40 and the connection state is maintained unless the spring 40 is removed.

Since the optical connector assembly 100 of the present invention as described above can be manufactured very precisely by exposing the guide pin 11 and the guide hole 21 to the outside, the optical connection of the ultra-high optical connector is effectively Can be implemented. For reference, by processing the guide pin 11 and the hole 21 from the outside, the overall cost of manufacturing the optical connector can be significantly reduced.

Claims (1)

A housing including a pair of guide pins having a predetermined length formed on opposite surfaces of the opposite surfaces, the coupling surfaces being disposed on opposite ends thereof; A ferrule having a guide hole inserted into the housing to receive the guide pin, and having optical fibers inserted into the micro holes therein for optical connection at the front end surface; A support member having a hook fastened to the fastening hole so as to cover the open surface of the housing and having a through hole through which the optical fiber passes; Interposed between the support member and the ferrule is an ultra-multi-optical connector assembly for optical connection, characterized in that consisting of a spring to press the ferrule in close contact with each other.

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